Writing a Silent Play

 

When we first hear the word ‘play’ we instantly think of dialogues and actions. Those are arguably two of the most important components of a play. But what if a play had to be written without dialogues – a silent play.

When writing a silent play, there are a few aspects one must take into consideration such as specifying the location, differentiating characters from one another, etc.

• Actions and Message
Since there are no dialogues, the action portrayed must be clearly visualized. It will be the driving force for the play to move from one scene to another. While writing a script, one must think about what they want their story to portray. Since silent plays lack dialogues or sounds, the message of the play must be clearly seen in the acting. The writer must emphasize each scene’s location, character moods and how the action plays out. The underlying message or mood must also be clearly portrayed.

• Characterization by using Visual Stereotypes
Characters must be distinguished from each other in a way that as soon as they enter the screen, they are recognizable. This can be done by using some visual stereotypes. They can be done with the use of colours, clothes or other physical props. Such as a green colour has always been associated with jealousy, so a jealous character can have some pieces of clothing which are green. While this might not add a lot, it certainly enhances the play. The use of empathy to build up the characters also will help the audience to relate to them.

• Location
To give a visualization of a location, one can start each separate location by specifying a three-part heading in caps such as interior or exterior (INT. / EXT.); a brief description of the location such as kitchen, hall, etc. and the time setting (Day/ Night). This helps the audience to understand the context better and differentiate between scenes. Each scene must add something valuable to the play, that is it should advance the story. To ensure this, one can write the whole plot down before starting to write the script. This will help to give a clear idea of what scenes must be included.

Summary

As one notices, the act of writing a silent play puts heavy emphasis on the use of visual attributes and actions to help deliver the story. One must really understand the story, the characters, and the message they wish to portray to make a silent play a success. Writing a silent play might be slightly more challenging than writing one with dialogues, but it is equally as rewarding when you see your hard work come to life.